1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to sports targets, and more particularly to sports targets used for hockey practice. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a sports target which is easily installed and is both effective and durable.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of sports require the player to be proficient at directing a sports object, such as a baseball, a golf ball, or a hockey puck, to a predetermined location having extreme relevance to scoring in that particular sport,
With respect to hockey as a preferred example, a backdrop serving as a goal is set-up on opposite ends of a play area. Each goal has a frame and a net strung thereupon, wherein a concave opening of the goal provides a target for the players of a first team to try to place a puck thereinto for the purpose of scoring. A goalie of a second team stands in front of the goal, and as best as he can, he attempts to foil the attempts of the first team from placing the puck into the goal behind him. Accordingly, in order that players of hockey become proficient at being able to place the puck into the goal, the players engage in practice sessions using their hockey sticks to place pucks at locations relative to the goal which are least likely to be adequately obstructed by a goalie during an actual game.
In the prior art there have been various attempts at providing sports targets, the aim of which being to assist perfection of the players' ability to direct a sports object to predesignated areas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,326 discloses a baseball pitching target composed of a frame, a front apertured panel connected with the frame and a rear net also connected with the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,033 discloses a golf ball target composed of a frame supporting, via four cords or lines having hooks at each distal end, an apertured target member having a net; a backdrop is connected with the frame. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,840,228, 3,856,298 and 5,246,229 describe panel silhouettes for being positioned in front of a hockey goal for simulating the opportune target openings as may be presented when a goalie is thereat. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,318 and Canadian Patent 1,206,496 both describe electrically actuated active hockey targets.
What remains needed in the art is a sports target system which is very easy to install and maintain, is easy to use and is effective at improving the skill of players of a sport to which the sports target system is directed.